[thoughts during advent] waiting...

"whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting - that is, or hopefully doing without - will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment."

- dietrich bonhoeffer

advent is about waiting.  we are waiting for christmas day.  we are preparing for this day. preparing our our homes, our food, our travel plans, our gifts, and our hearts. but waiting is something that we as a culture do not do well.  we want what want, when we want it, and we want it right now! our culture does not know what it means to wait, because our culture does not have hope beyond this present moment and these present shiny objects.  out culture has no promise to stand on for tomorrow. but as christians, we can wait.  we have hope in something beyond.  we can do without, because we know the Provider will always give what he promised. and we know that he always gives good things.

as believers in jesus, we are always in a state of advent.  much like israel was waiting for the babe in the manger, we are waiting for our king to return.  we do not have to give in to culture.  we can wait because we know that fulfillment in him will be the most joyous experience we will have.  so this christmas, as you wait and prepare, may you be reminded that as we struggle and endure, that we are hopefully waiting.  let the fact that god is in the manger be a reminder that he is good to deliver on his promise to return.